A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of trailer hitch accessories, more specifically, a trailer hitch alignment aid that attaches near the tongue of a trailer.
For as long as trailers have been around, there has been a need to prevent the unwanted damage associated with backing a towing vehicle into a trailer tongue, and furthermore to assist the driver in aligning said trailer with the trailer hitch of the towing vehicle. Alignment of a trailer involves both left to right as well as front to rear alignment. That being said, the present invention seeks to overcome the difficulties associated when aligning a trailer with the towing vehicle.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with trailer alignment accessories. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses an alignment accessory that utilizes a sensing means and of which the assemblage attaches adjacent the trailer tongue.
The Mickley Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,933) discloses an illuminated attachment for boat trailers that assists in the alignment and centering thereof. The illuminated attachment is a pair of lighted posts that the user looks at when attempting to align the trailer to the towing vehicle, as opposed to an accessory that attaches near the tongue of the trailer, and includes a sensing means with indicating lights to aid the driver of the towing vehicle. Furthermore, the illuminated attachment is suited for providing left to right alignment and not forward to rearward alignment.
The Milner et al. Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0261574) discloses a trailer hitch alignment system for vehicles that uses a laser beam to guide to align the trailer with the towing vehicle. However, the laser is mounted on the towing vehicle, as opposed to an alignment accessory wherein the sensing means are mounted on the trailer itself and of which senses the location of the trailer hitch on the towing vehicle with respect to the tongue of the trailer itself. Again, the alignment system does not provide feedback as to forward versus reverse movement of the towing vehicle during alignment.
The Campbell Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,302) discloses a trailer hitch alignment guide that uses a set of illuminated rods attached to a trailer and a vehicle. The illuminated rods do not employ sensing means within themselves, but rather rely upon the driver of the towing vehicle to align the trailer hitch with the trailer tongue, as opposed to an alignment accessory that employs sensing means to align the trailer hitch with the trailer tongue. Again, the alignment guide only provides left to right alignment, and not forward and reverse directional capabilities.
The Black Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,536) discloses a three-pronged trailer hitch alignment assembly, wherein an indication light is triggered once the vehicle and hitch are aligned as well as having two additional alignment indicating features on the other two prongs. However, the alignment assembly requires an accessory that is mounted on the towing vehicle, and an accessory that is mounted on the trailer, as opposed to an alignment assembly that only requires mounting be made to the trailer.
The Amerson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,363) discloses a three-pronged trailer hitch alignment system that uses a triple illumination feature to center and guide a vehicle into the correct position. Again, the alignment assembly requires an accessory that is mounted on the towing vehicle, and an accessory that is mounted on the trailer. Furthermore, the alignment assembly requires physical touching of the two assemblages in order to provide feedback to the driver of the towing vehicle.
The Cofer Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,376) discloses a trailer hitch guide that utilizes a lamp mounted on the trailer tongue, which projects a beam of light onto a target mounted on the towing vehicle. However, the alignment system requires two components, each of which is mounted to either the trailer or the towing vehicle.
The Capik et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,052) discloses an optically guided trailer hitching system that includes a pair of light sources that cross when the trailer tongue is aligned with the trailer hitch. The light sources are mounted on the towing vehicle, as opposed to an accessory that attaches to the trailer.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a trailer hitch alignment aid that provides for the advantages of the trailer hitch alignment aid. In this regard, the trailer hitch alignment aid departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved trailer hitch alignment aid.